absolutely useless to attempt to shoot unless the object is very close
and standing perfectly still, and then the light is so deceptive and
it is so difficult to see the foresight that the best shot will miss
more often than he hits.

"'She will be back again presently,' I said; 'look out, but for
Heaven's sake don't fire unless I tell you to.'

"Hardly were the words out of my mouth when back she came, and again
passed the ox without striking him.

"'What on earth is she doing?' whispered Harry.

"'Playing with it as a cat does with a mouse, I suppose. She will kill
it presently.'

"As I spoke, the lioness once more flashed out of the bush, and this
time sprang right over the doomed and trembling ox. It was a beautiful
sight to see her clear him in the bright moonlight, as though it were
a trick which she had been taught.

"'I believe that she has escaped from a circus,' whispered Harry;
'it's jolly to see her jump.'

"I said nothing, but I thought to myself that if it was, Master Harry
did not quite appreciate the performance, and small blame to him. At
any rate, his teeth were chattering a little.

"Then came a longish pause, and I began to think that the lioness must
have gone away, when suddenly she appeared again, and with one mighty